Spathiphyllum plant named &#39;SPAAMERIGRO&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spaamerigro’, characterized by its upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit; freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants; glossy dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; large white-colored spathes that are positioned just above and in between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Botanical designation: Spathiphyllum Schott.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SPAAMERIGRO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Spathiphyllum plant, botanically known as Spathiphyllum Schott. and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Spaamerigro’.

The new Spathiphyllum plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new year-round flowering Spathiphyllum plants that have glossy dark green-colored leaves, large white-colored spathes and good postproduction longevity.

The new Spathiphyllum plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in September, 2012 of a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121408-01, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20092518-39, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Spathiphyllum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands in October, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Spathiphyllum plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands since October, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Spathiphyllum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Spaamerigro’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Spaamerigro’ as a new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly arching and uniform plant habit.     -   2. Freely clumping growth habit; bushy and dense plants.     -   3. Glossy dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large white-colored spathes that are positioned just above         and in between the foliar plane on strong and erect scapes.     -   6. Good inflorescence longevity.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are larger than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have larger inflorescences         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are darker green in         color than leaves of plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are more durable         than leaves of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Spathiphyllum can also be compared to plants of Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Sparanke’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 21,294. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Spathiphyllum differ from plants of ‘Sparanke’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Spathiphyllum are denser and bushier than         plants of ‘Sparanke’.     -   2. Leaf margins of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are slightly         undulate whereas leaf margins of plants of ‘Sparanke’ are not         undulate.     -   3. Scapes of plants of the new Spathiphyllum are shorter than         scapes of plants of ‘Sparanke’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Spathiphyllum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Spathiphyllum plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Spaamerigro’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘Spaamerigro’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Naaldwijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Spathiphyllum production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 22° C. to 28° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 5 klux. Plants were 18 weeks old when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Spathiphyllum Schott. ‘Spaamerigro’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20121408-01,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Spathiphyllum Schott. identified as code number 20092518-39,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 13 days at             temperatures about 23° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 215 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 240 days             at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             white in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching plant             habit; overall plant shape, broadly inverted triangle;             moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth rate.         -   Clumping habit.—Freely clumping habit, bushy and dense             growth habit; about twelve clumps develop per plant.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of leaf plane.—About             42.2 cm.         -   Plant height, from soil level to top of             inflorescences.—About 63 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 61.2 cm.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 29.7 cm. Width: About 13 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Apiculate. Base: Short attenuate. Margin: Entire; slightly             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate.             Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: More intense than             143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to between             138B and 146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close             to NN137A; venation, close to 137A to 137B. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to             144A. Petioles: Length (excluding geniculum): About 20.2 cm.             Diameter, just below geniculum: About 4 mm. Diameter, at             plant base: About 1.2 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly more             yellow green than NN137A. Geniculum length: About 2.7 cm.             Geniculum diameter: About 4.5 mm. Geniculum texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Geniculum color, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Geniculum color, lower surface: Close to 137B; at the leaf             base, close to 143C. Wing length: About 19.4 cm to 20.7 cm.             Wing diameter: About 1 cm. Wing color: Close to 144B;             towards the margins, close to between 144C and 144D; fading             towards the petiole to close to 143A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence arrangement and flowering habit.—Moderately to             strongly cupped erect spathes with columnar spadices held             above and in between the foliar plane on strong and erect             scapes; flowering structures arise from leaf axils; plants             begin flowering about 16 weeks after planting; freely and             continuous flowering year-round under greenhouse conditions             in The Netherlands; freely flowering habit, typically about             13 inflorescences develop per plant.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant; fragrance, sweet and             pleasant.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences last more than three             weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Spathe.—Length: About 16.2 cm. Width: About 6 cm. Depth:             About 3.7 cm. Shape: Ovate to elliptic. Apex: Apiculate;             twisting and curled. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire; very             slightly and coarsely undulate. Texture and luster, front             surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly leathery; slightly             glossy. Texture and luster, rear surface: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly leathery; moderately glossy. Color: When             developing, front surface: Close to 155B; fading towards the             apex to close to 157D; apex, close to 144B. When developing,             rear surface: Close to NN155A; towards the apex and main             vein, close to 144A to 144B. Fully developed, front surface:             Close to NN155A; towards the apex, close to 143A to 143B;             with development, color becoming closer to 145A to 145B.             Fully developed, rear surface: Close to between NN155A and             NN155B; towards the apex and main vein, close to 143A to             143B; with development, color becoming closer to 145A to             145B.         -   Spadix.—Length: About 4.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm. Shape:             Columnar, tapering towards the apex; apex, obtuse; base,             obtuse; cross-section, rounded. Aspect: Close to erect,             about 5° from scape axis. Color, immature: Close to 157D.             Color, mature: Close to between 155A and 157D. Flowers:             Quantity per spadix: Numerous, about 140. Shape: Rounded.             Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Anther color:             Close to NN155B to NN155C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 155B. Stigma color: Close to 158D. Ovary             color: Close to 158D.         -   Scapes.—Length: About 48.9 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 143A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Spathiphyllum. -   Disease & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Spathiphyllum     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens or pests common     to Spathiphyllum plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Spathiphyllum have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to     about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Spathiphyllum plant named ‘Spaamerigro’ as illustrated and described. 